This invention relates to lottery systems for conducting lottery games and casino gaming systems for gaming units such as slot machines and video poker machines and, more particularly, to incorporating multi-theme instant win games in such lottery and gaming systems.
Various lottery and gaming systems incorporating themes for the lottery and casino games have been previously described. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,568 to Roffman et al. discloses an interactive gaming process and system. The system comprises a plurality of gaming machines to be played by a plurality of players. The system can be configured such that the gaming machines are either located in a casino or at internet locations. Each gaming machine comprises a wagering game and a theme game. The wagering game has features that correspond to the theme game wherein the results of the wagering game influence the results of the theme game as the wagering game is being played. The system also includes a controller for electronically linking the gaming machines and providing stimuli to the gaming machines to affect gaming machine outputs that are impartial and random. In one embodiment, the plurality of players play the wagering game as a group wherein if one players theme game results meet predetermined criteria, that particular player will play for the group. The group will then have the opportunity to split a jackpot. In another embodiment, the plurality of players play as a group wherein activation of each players wagering game either helps or hinders the group as a whole in its effort to achieve a predetermined goal. In a further embodiment, the players play their respective wagering game to directly compete against each other in the theme game. The results of the wagering games determine the winnings of each player, the eventual winner of the theme game and/or any predetermined jackpot.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 200/0151349 to Joshi discloses a gaming machine having features for increasing player appeal. The machine generally includes a processor, a display, and memory device. The processor monitors time signals from a clock and randomly selects one of a plurality of outcomes of the gaming machine in response to a wager amount. The display displays visual elements to be viewed by the player. The memory device is coupled to the processor and stores at least two data sets for producing at least two different types of visual elements. The processor selects one of at least two data sets in response to the processor monitoring a time signal corresponding to a predetermined time. The two different types of visual elements may be of a standard motif and a holiday motif, and the predetermined time is the holiday or one or more days before and/or after the holiday. Alternatively, the predetermined time can be at least one minute within one day, and the corresponding visual elements can be related to the time of day. The predetermined time can be a season of the year and the corresponding visual elements can be indicative of the season. The gaming machine may also include audio speakers and audio elements that replace the changing visual elements, or audio and video elements can be displayed in unison as a function of the time. The machine may also contemplate maintaining player appeal by providing a modified payout structure as a function of time.